Early last week, we had an off day in Jinja. It was the last off day before Anna Catherine
Ortego and Mason Lang headed back to the USA.
Given the opportunity, Anna Catherine and April Berry wanted to white
water raft on the Nile. We contacted one
of the 2 big rafting companies in Jinja.
They had no one scheduled, and needed at least 3 people to make a
tour. So I joined the ladies for a trip
down the Nile.
I have rafted in Durango and at the Royal Gorge in Colorado. I have also rafted 3 times prior on
the Nile in Uganda. My first trip down
the Nile was with the men’s group from Henderson Hills Baptist Church in January
of 2011. Since that time, two
hydroelectric dams have been constructed along the Nile as it starts north out
of Jinja. This has moved the rafting
course downstream a few miles. The
rafting companies come up with creative names for the different rapids. I have been through “the smelter”, “the
silverback”, “50/50”, the “Nile Special” among others.
On this most recent rafting trip, we elected to go through
the level 5 rapids.
We wore helmets and
life jackets.
As is usually done, we put
in at some calm waters and took some time to do some safety training. We learned to paddle together, how to “get
down” while going through rapids, what to do if we fell out of the boat, and
what to do if the boat capsized. Then off
we went for our adventure. After a few
adrenaline pumping rapids, we came to the slow part of the trip. We were served fresh pineapple and
watermelon. I think that the freshly cut
up pineapple on the Nile is the best pineapple anywhere. Since there were only 3 of us, we could have
eaten a whole pineapple each. I think
that I was the only one that came close.
We then strapped back in for the final few rapids.
With our teamwork and the excellent steering of our guide,
we had navigated through all of the level 5 rapids with nothing but sheer excitement. As we came up to the last set of two rapids,
the guide got our attention to let us know what was coming. The first of the 2 last rapids was called “the
bad place”. It was an area where the
water dropped then rolled back on itself.
If our raft got caught in the circulation of water, it would be “bad”. There was a narrow space between the bank and
“the bad place” where we were to go to avoid the trouble. As we approached “the bad place”, we focused
all of our effort on avoiding it. We
made it past “the bad place” and immediately were flowing into the second level
5 rapid, “the other place”. As we hit “the
other place”, our boat got sideways then turned up on its side and flipped
over.
As the boat flipped, I was able to remember what to do from
my previous experiences. I was able to
grab onto the rope that goes around the boat’s edge. I went into the river, but barely under the
water. As my eyes cleared, I saw April
coming up, looking a little startled, and facing away from the boat. I was able to grab her arm and bring her hand
to the boat’s rope. I was on the
opposite side of the boat from Anna, but I could hear her talking, so I knew
she was above the water level. Our guide
then instructed us in flipping the boat back right side up. We did this and then helped each other back
into the boat.
This reminded me of some life situations.
1.)
We can be
lulled into a sense of security while navigating the rivers of life. When we have successes, we often take for
granted that future successes will come.
2.)
We often spend too much time and energy trying
to avoid “the bad place” and end up wrecking in “the other place”. Often we spend significant time and energy
trying to do what is right or good, and miss out on the “best” that God has for
us.
3.)
Preparing in advance and surrounding yourself
with Christian friends is mandatory for safely navigating down life’s
rapids. If the waters are rough, we have to "get down" at times. When our boat is turned upside
down, we often need a friend, who has been down this rapid before, to grab us
and lead us back to the rope.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 says “Therefore encourage one another and build
each other up, just as in fact you are doing”.
As we navigate the river of life, the rapids will come. Take advantage of the calm waters to nourish yourself and prepare
yourself and your “team” for the times that you fall into the river.
Jay
No comments:
Post a Comment